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Pinhole type imaging deviceRelated Patent Categories: Radiant Energy, Photocells; Circuits And Apparatus, Photocell Controlled Circuit, Plural Photosensitive Image Detecting Element ArraysPinhole type imaging device description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070152134, Pinhole type imaging device. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to an imaging device, and in particular to an imaging device having a pinhole type lens. 2. Description of the Related Art [0002] Imaging based upon an optical lens system is currently adopted in many of ordinary image pick-up devices, where, only when photographing is performed at a fixed photographing distance, a sharp imaging result of an object positioned at the fixed photographing distance or near the same can be obtained. [0003] According to a conventional art, however, there are the following problems. [0004] (1) When a subject positioned at a fixed distance is photographed, there is a problem that a sharp image of an object which is not positioned at the fixed distance can not be obtained. When sharp images of all objects positioned at different photographing distances are tried to be obtained, assistance of a series of mechanical devices, for example, an auto-focusing device or a lens system with a manual focusing function is further required. [0005] (2) Even if assistance of the mechanical devices is utilized, there is such a problem that a sharp image of an object at the fixed photographing distance is only obtained, and such a merit that imaging results of an object relatively close to the fixed photographing distance and an object relatively distant therefrom are sharp can not be obtained. [0006] (3) Since an image device having an auto-focusing and manually focusing optical device structure is provided with an exclusive mechanical structure for auto-focusing function and manual focusing function, such as a step motor, a VCM actuator, a manual focusing slide rod, and the like, there is a such a problem that a structure thereof is complicated, a size thereof is large, and a manufacturing cost is increased. In recent years, especially, a demand for mounting an image pickup device on mobile type electronic equipment becomes popular. However, since the mobile type electronic equipment is limited by its volume, there is a further strong demand for small sizing and simplification of the imaging device. [0007] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device where a degree of freedom or flexibility of a photographing distance of an object to be photographed is enhanced by adopting a non-auto-focusing and manual focusing optical mechanism, and it is realized that all of imaging results at different photographing distances of subjects are sharp and simultaneously therewith imaging with reduced optical distortion can be obtained at a high contrast characteristic. [0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device which has a simple structure and can be reduced in size, and which is suitable for attachment or use in an information or data processing terminal such as a small-sized image pickup device, a portable phone (a cellular phone), or a mobile type computer, and an auxiliary device thereof. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] The present invention can be realized based upon the following principle. A pinhole is a great invention made by Mo-tzu in ancient times in China, and it still has a great influence even nowadays where techniques have been highly sophisticated due to its easy adaptability. [0010] The present invention is a pinhole type imaging device designed based upon a pinhole imaging, and it includes the following members. [0011] The pinhole type imaging device includes a pinhole type aperture stop which allows advancing of light ray into an optical system and imaging and whose hole diameter is in a range of 0.5 mm to 0.9 mm, a light shielding wall which blocks advancing of light ray other than the pinhole, at least one optical lens which is attached to the pinhole type aperture stop, and an optical lens fixing frame which extends from the light shielding wall. [0012] The at least one optical lens is one lens, the one lens being attached to the opposite side of the pinhole type aperture stop from a subject in sequence. [0013] The at least one optical lens is two lenses, the two lenses being sequentially attached to the opposite side of the pinhole type aperture stop from a subject. [0014] The at least one optical lens is two lenses, one of the lenses being attached to the opposite side of the pinhole type aperture stop from a subject, while the other being attached to the side of the pinhole type aperture facing the subject. [0015] An image from the imaging device having the pinhole type lens is converted to electronic image signals by a photoelectric converter (for example, a CCD image sensor or a CMOS image sensor). ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION [0016] Since the above structure is adopted in the present invention, the present invention has such a feature that, when light rays pass through the pinhole type aperture stop, both imaging of light rays which are advanced from a remote object into the optical system and imaging of light rays which are advanced from a close object into the optical system are sharp, and all images of subjects positioned at different distances are simultaneously made sharp. Simultaneously therewith, since such a defect that distortion is large in an ordinary pinhole can overcome by optical lenses attached at a front end and a rear end of the pinhole, it is possible to cause an entire photosensitive area of a sensor element to receive an image obtained by the imaging device of the present invention. [0017] Since the present invention includes such an advantage that neither an auto-focusing system mechanism nor a manually focusing system mechanism is required, so that a structure is simple, a size is compact, a life in use is long, and a cost is reduced, the imaging device of the present invention is suitable for attachment and use in an information or data processing terminal such as such as a small-sized image pickup device, a portable phone (a cellular phone), or a mobile type computer, and an auxiliary device thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] FIG. 1 is a structural view of a first example of a pinhole type imaging device according to the present invention. [0019] FIG. 2 is a structural view of a second example of the pinhole type imaging device according to the present invention. [0020] FIG. 3 is a structural view of a cellular phone provided with the pinhole-type imaging device of the present invention. [0021] FIG. 4 is a structural view of a pinhole type imaging device portion of a cellular phone provided with the pinhole type imaging device of the present invention. [0022] FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of an information processing terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention, where the pinhole-type imaging device of the present invention is applied to a notebook type personal computer. [0023] FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of an information processing terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention, where the pinhole type imaging device of the present invention is applied to a mobile computer. Continue reading about Pinhole type imaging device... Full patent description for Pinhole type imaging device Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Pinhole type imaging device patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Pinhole type imaging device or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Image sensor array with ferroelectric elements and method therefor Next Patent Application: Planar illumination device and liquid crystal display device using the planar illumination device as a backlight Industry Class: Radiant energy ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Pinhole type imaging device patent info. 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